Dodge Nitro video

From the outside, the Dodge Nitro styling is eye-catching, tough-looking, and boxy. However, our engineers were unimpressed with the overall package. Watch our video to see how the Nitro fared in our tests.

Comments

[Paul]

That is a terrible review. The Nitro is not designed to go off-roading. You should not need to use the running boards to get into the vehicle, it is not that high off the ground, I think you exaggerated a bit much on the difficulties of getting in the vehicle. As for steering, I'm pretty sure Dodge was going for the smooth feeling when turning the steering wheel. Drive an $80,000 lexus and tell me if you know where the wheels are going. You are right about the plastic, it does feel a little cheap, but that is one reason the price starts at $20,000 and not higher.

[jamie]

I think someone needs a knew job.I traded in my 2004 liberty on this nitro and let me tell you,it can go many places off road that my liberty did.In the snow,its better than my liberty was and were i live we get more snow than you can think of.When it comes to getting in and out of the nitro my wife is 5'3 and she has no problem.As for steering ride and comfort its better than the compatition.I took out alot of suv's including ford escape,honda cr-v,toyota rav4 ect.None of these came close to the nitro.Inside trim may look alittle cheep ,but what you pay for it,you get your moneys worlth.If owners put octane 91 even 89 in there nitro they will find a differance in fuel economy.

[Andrea]

Is this guy serious? I think its about time critics lay off the domestic companies and give some credit for improvements over the last few years and take a closer look at the foreign companies, the Honda civic has issues with oil rings, Toyota is having issues with their transmissions and engines, but we dont ever hear anything about that, critics are very quick to put down Dodge, Chev and Ford and continually praise the foreign companies.Get with it! I own a Nitro, and test drove many suvs before I made my purchase, it is roomy inside, Im only 5'3" and I DO NOT need step bars to get inside ,stering issues, give me a break it handles great, it has a great ride, is very smooth, and the 4x4 system is as good as my previous jeep, although the nitro doesnt have 4 low it is still more than sufficient for me and I live in Atlantic Canada where there is high snowfall and severe winter conditions every year! This guys critizes the 4 wheel drive system..did he even try in?? He drove it down a dirt road?? Come on get serious!! Take it to Newfoundland, Canada in January, then talk to me about it!! I am sick of critics who dont give credit where its due.

[nick]

We are just going to buy a Nitro SLT 4x4 2007. Hopefully it will do its job. Of course we tried out a lot of other SUV's at the car show, but this one fit better to my partner, since she is about 5'9" height.

Hopefully you right people here :) At the test drive we liket it.

[Gina Inskeep]

This guy is way to used to driving luxury vehicles and forgets that those of us with real paying jobs like those little amenities without the $60,000 price tag. There are a couple of "cheap" things on the Nitro, but as a whole you get a lot of options on it that the other car companies jack up the price for. With the Nitro you get leather, heated seats, 20" wheels, sat.radio and in general, it is a fun SUV to drive.

[Holly]

I don't know what he's talking about! I have just under 1000 miles on my 2008 Nitro and I LOVE it! Okay, so the gas milage stinks..but that's the trade off for having a bigger vehicle. I was driving a 2001 Saturn, a small 4 door vehicle that barely had any room for my son who's now over 6' tall! The Dodge Nitro fits my family comfortably. I do not regret purchasing the Nitro. I find the interrior roomy and comfortable. So there's plastic, if you don't like it, DON'T BUY IT!. The ride is smooth, low road noise, and it handles like a truck! That's what I like about it! If you want a ride like a car, then buy a car!

[LEONA]

I bought a Dodge Nitro and rides great. The noise is low. The gas mileage is stinks, but that's what happens when you buy a big vehicle. It is comfortable and it handles like a truck. I can go places where I couldn't go before in my suv before. I love it.

[Still searching for a decent American car....]

I expected much more than 1920's technology in the suspension. When you drive a borrowed 2002 minivan towing a trailer with more than a ton of fill dirt on a washed out, muddy clay road with no difficulties (thank you for computerized traction control), you expect a newer 2008 Dodge touted as an SUV to be able to do the same without the trailer! Yes, I do take potential purchases on interesting test drives.

Horrible wind noise at low freeway speeds, and it rides like a Jeep CJ5. Well, not really...at least the CJ had more positive steering feel. Believe it or not, the seating position is similar to that old CJ5. They need to fix that!

I can't believe it has such terrible acceleration with the amount that gas gauge moved. I expected the gas gauge to visibly move on a 12-mile test drive in a Dodge 1/2-ton truck with a Hemi...but not on this little SUV.

We used to be a Chrysler family. Some of you have to remember how good the Slant-6 and 318 wedge motors were, and how rugged that 727 TorqueFlite transmission was. If you were on a budget, you could still get a decent car from Chrysler until the early 1970's. What on earth happened? I've been waiting for over 30 years for them to come back and give me something reliable with amenities at least approaching offerings from Toyota, Nissan and Honda. I'm not a snob. It doesn't have to match those superior cars, just come a little close to them so that I feel I'm getting a good deal for my hard-earned dollars.

Still waiting....Ford, maybe?

[Bill]

I bought a 2008 Nitro fully loaded. I sell real estate and quite a few of them ranches. This Nitro is superb. I can go just about anywhere. Best decision on a vehilce in a long time.

[Joe]

I bought a 2008 Nitro and already drove it 1000 miles. Overall it feels strong and yes I love the exterior and leg room, but that's it. The interior is filled with cheap plastic that scratches very easily, (I had to replace a rear light buld, the plastic assembly was a nightmare to reinstall)gas consumption is one of the worst I've seen (previosly owned a Grand Chrookee and a wrangler) and the engine is a joke with no power and horrible acceleration.Very mediocre and unbalance product, did they run out of money for the interior?? how can a company build loyalty with such a crappy product? Nice design nothing else. No wonder why people seek imports. Kia Sorrento or Hyunday Tucson are better choices.

[Keith]

I just rented a Nitro this week and thought it was a pretty good car After putting almost 400 miles on it I am thinking about buying one this fall when the lease on the Jeep Compass is up. Tight turning radius, comfortable, (I am 6'2") decent speeds for what I use it for (work, store, hauling a 3 year old around, and it fits my family really well. Cons are I wish it had better MPG, (20 mpg combined hwy and city) and I wish the blind spots werent as "blind". After searching for reviews, I was suprised to see it got really negative reviews. After reading the posts above, seems like the general public like the car...

[Charity]

I love my Nitro, some people dont like that boxy look to it - but I do because there are way to many bubble cars out there that they all look alike to me. It is a little tight in side and yes I bend my head to get in to the car, and I dont like the blind spot by the drivers side. But in over all I like the drive and the feel of the car inside and out and I have 250 horsepower in mine - more than I can use plus we had a very heavy snowy winter this year with exteme tempetures and lots of snow and ice - this car chewed through and passed everyone barried on the streets.I even nicked named my car "CHEWY" after this brutal winter..lol

[paul]

Funny... I drive a fairly new loaded Accord. Where I live the roads are made of that noisy asphalt with big gravel in it. The roads turn my Accord into a noisy rattletrap on the highway. In fact you cannot even have a conversation with the passenger because of the road noise. I Test drove a Nitro SLX 4x4 on the same noisy roads with a better quieter ride. It seemed quite comfortable too. I will agree with the article that the cabin is a bit cramped given the overall size of the truck.

I find the Nitro attractive inspite of it's Squarishness and goofy looking front bumper knobs. Prior to Nitro, I hated all those flat-side breadbox type of cars ( Element, Scion, Flex,H3,) Now I think they're just pretty darn ugly.

Also... On a comparative note, I rented Both the Dodge Caliber and the Toyota Matrix on several occasions and on the highway, the Calibre was considerably better than the Matrix.

Funny how I had assumed the Toyota would be better?